Life Day
Paula wants to lighten the mood and has a plan for a surprise celebration at Abel - which means you need to find supplies Cast * Sam Yao * Paula Cohen Plot Really Going To Have A Party Paula wants to balance out all the memorial days with a happy celebration. What better to commemorate than the anniversary of finding the Werther's Originals factory? Keep That Pace Sam thinks karaoke would be a good idea. 'Unfortunately' the machine you find is damaged. In the absence of karaoke, Paula suggests travelling singers, but you'll need sheet music for that. Run With It, Literally Paula gets side tracked down a mildly zombie-infested alley by Hello Kitty snow globes for Maxine, but it gives her an idea; instead of celebrating Werther's Originals, why not celebrate life in general? And Some Pans Too Unfortunately the music shop is infested with zoms, some still playing instruments, so you grab what you can. Paula and Sam throw out ideas for the celebration and land on a cooking contest. Don't Call It That The celebration still needs a name, but Sam really doesn't want it to be 'Life Day'. The gourmet shop you've entered is clear of zoms, mostly. The heavy pans come in handy for crawlers in the back room. Little Things Day Night's drawing in and Paula thinks you have enough to start preparations now. She and Sam agree the day shouldn't be something massive, it should be a day to celebrate the little things. Transcript siren, gates raising, gunshots SAM YAO: Raising the gates, covering five, and Runner Five, Runner Twenty-three, you’re good to go. And today, we’re – oh, wait. Another secret mission. You do realize that if we have more secret missions than normal missions, we might as well call the normal ones “secret”, and the secret ones “normal.” PAULA COHEN: This one is important, though. SAM YAO: Yeah, well, they’re always important. That’s what makes them secret. What are we doing this time? Investigating insane science done by crazy people? Looking for yet another child someone’s left wandering the streets? Hunting Doctor Pumpkinhead, Phantom Scourge of the Moors? PAULA COHEN: laughs Janine and I have a plan. You two are the only ones we’ve told. We have to keep it secret for morale’s sake. SAM YAO: Well, that sounds terrible! PAULA COHEN: No, I mean, we have to keep it secret because that way, it’ll improve morale more. SAM YAO: Oh, yeah, well, secrets always work out that way at Abel. PAULA COHEN: Look, we reckon we’ve got so many memorial days. Z Day, yeah, remembering the first infection. Days for mourning loved ones. Days for mourning dead runners, and - SAM YAO: Days for mourning the entire world. PAULA COHEN: - the entire world, yes, and so on. So, we thought we needed a day of celebration! And do you remember what today is the anniversary of? SAM YAO: Is it something horrifying? Oh, no, wait! No, no, it’s not - PAULA COHEN: It is! SAM YAO: It’s a year ago today? PAULA COHEN: Time slips past so quickly! SAM YAO: It’s been a year since we found that factory full of Werther’s Originals, when we thought there were no more in the entire world? PAULA COHEN: That is exactly what day it is, my friend. SAM YAO: Well, right then. We really are going to have a party. And I know just the place. You’re going to have to pick up the pace to get there, though. Run! PAULA COHEN: Sam, why are we here? Haven’t we picked over that shop enough? There can’t be anything left. SAM YAO: Oh, just go back to the music aisle. rings I have an idea. Look for a karaoke machine. PAULA COHEN: rummages Do you really think Janine is going to let you plug in a karaoke machine? SAM YAO: Oh, yeah, well, you never know. PAULA COHEN: Okay, Five’s found one! Good work! Oh, but the cord’s been gnawed to pieces. SAM YAO: Aw, that’s a real shame. PAULA COHEN: Wait a moment! Those people staying at Pleiades Settlement – aren’t they musicians? SAM YAO: Yeah, you’re right. They’re trying to bring back the travelling players of old, with travelling soldier-players, for protection. PAULA COHEN: Isn’t there a music shop nearby? SAM YAO: Uh, yeah, I think so. Hang on – yeah. And it looks untouched from the outside. Not much call for that sort of thing these days. What are you thinking? PAULA COHEN: We get some pop sheet music, invite those musicians back to Abel, and we’ll have a contest, like, who can remember all the words to “Royals” or “I’m Not That Innocent”. SAM YAO: Oh, yes! Yes, that is brilliant! I mean, I’ll win, obviously. Uh, there are about twenty zoms between you and the music shop. They’re shamblers, though, so you shouldn’t have a problem if you keep that pace. Get moving. growl PAULA COHEN: Only twenty zoms? Sam, you need to improve your counting. growls, splatters Ah, good one, Five. I didn’t even see that one. Thanks! SAM YAO: Yeah, I probably need to improve my being able to see around corners skills, actually. Not everything’s visible on the cameras at the same time. Ah, Five! There are two zombies at your three o'clock. splatters Ooh, good one. You’re a natural with that bat. You’ve got a real, well, you know, swing on you. But uh, yeah, you need to get out of that alleyway before you get cut off. PAULA COHEN: Oh, wait! What’s that in that bin? SAM YAO: Wait? Wait for what? Paula, get out of there! PAULA COHEN: Five, cover me. splatters I was right! There it is! A Hello Kitty paperweight. Maxine loves these. Really, unironically. She says they remind her of “simple, uncomplicated happiness”. There must be fifteen of them here. Hold on a sec. I’m getting them. splatters SAM YAO: Paula, zombies! Get going! Five can’t hold them off forever. PAULA COHEN: splatters I’ve got an idea. Can we use Werther’s Originals Day for - SAM YAO: It’s not going to be called that, though, is it? It’s probably trademarked. PAULA COHEN: Doesn’t matter anymore! Can we use our Celebration of Life Day - SAM YAO: Oh, that’s a terrible name. PAULA COHEN: Can we use Generic Celebratory Occasion Day for giving people presents? SAM YAO: Ah, yeah! Oh, that’s quite a good idea, actually. Except we really can’t call it Generic Celebratory Occasion Day. Sounds like something the Ministry’d come up with. PAULA COHEN: The day before, all the runners go out and collect everything they can, and then we hand them out. Surprise presents! SAM YAO: I like it. But, oh, yeah, would it actually be interesting if runners just got their standard stuff? Batteries and pain meds and stuff. Not like, action figures. PAULA COHEN: Sam. What would you do with your very own batteries? Ones that you don’t have to log the time of use for, ones that you don’t have to give back? Ones that you didn’t have to use for any practical purpose? SAM YAO: I could recharge my DS! Paula, we could play Demons and Darkness outside after dark for a spooky atmosphere, and use a torch to see the dice rolls! Or I could just like, turn it off and on again a lot, and we could have a dance party. Oh, now wait. But I want to give people presents, too. PAULA COHEN: Then you’d have to come out with the runners. Why, is there someone you have in mind? Special present? SAM YAO: Uh, no. The question was rhetorical, really. I like the presents idea, run with it. Also, run with it literally. More zoms incoming. You really have to get out of that alley now! footsteps SAM YAO: Going well, runners. Just around that corner, and you should find the music shop. PAULA COHEN: It looks virtually untouched. SAM YAO: Yeah, well, no one’s needed a guitar tuned for a while. shatters PAULA COHEN: Okay, we’re through the window. Careful you don’t cut yourself, Five. It’s dark in here, and - oh God! music Oh, I think the people in this store just stayed here after they turned. This place is infested. And they’re playing their instruments! That one has no fingers, he’s been strumming the guitar so much, ugh! Okay, we’ve got to be quick, Five. Get what you can. I’ve grabbed some sheet music. It’s, uh - laughs 90’s pop music. And it’s for the flute. Who on earth played Vanilla Ice on the flute? SAM YAO: It’ll have to do. The zoms seem distracted by their instruments, but I wouldn’t stick around. PAULA COHEN: Come on, Five. Let’s get moving. shuts Where to next, Sam? SAM YAO: Well, it sounds like we’re going in a musical direction with this celebration. PAULA COHEN: Non-Proprietary Trademark Sweets Day? That day when the sweets we thought were dead rose again, and the sweets we thought would last for only zero days lasted for eight whole - ! Do we actually have any Werther’s Originals left? SAM YAO: crackles We do, actually. Loads. Enough to last years. PAULA COHEN: It’s funny, isn’t it? The little things you thought you might never see again. Just for a minute, they can sort of make up for the big things we’ll never see again. SAM YAO: Yeah, yeah, they can. PAULA COHEN: You’re eating a Werther’s Original right now, aren’t you? SAM YAO: Shut up. You just made me think of them, that’s all. Now, I was thinking, what if we made Generic Celebration Day all about music? Oh, and presents, obviously. But karaoke, song lyrics, music competitions - PAULA COHEN: I like it. But what about food? Any good holiday has a feast to go along with it. SAM YAO: Well, what do you two think about a cooking contest? Like uh, make whatever you can with whatever food the runners come back with, potentially including some Werther’s Originals? PAULA COHEN: Brilliant! But I think you just want an excuse to make that mystery casserole again. SAM YAO: I haven’t made that in months. You weren’t even here the last time I made it! And a lot of people thought it was a fun idea to take the cans without labels and dump them together to see what would happen. Five liked it! PAULA COHEN: laughs Maxine told me all about it. I’m not sure she said Five liked it… But I do like the cooking contest idea. SAM YAO: Okay. Well, if you head north, there’s a gourmet cooking shop there. Artisan salt and smoked dehydrated potatoes, that kind of thing. And probably some pans, too. And there are a couple of zombies to your east, so run. footsteps PAULA COHEN: Okay, there’s the gourmet shop. That one looks looted, but it’s clear of zombies, and the door is open. Come on, Five. rummages SAM YAO: Oh, now. I was thinking. If the Day of Generic Celebration - PAULA COHEN: Can’t we just call it Life Day? SAM YAO: Ugh. Are you saying that on purpose? PAULA COHEN: What? SAM YAO: There was a whole Star Wars thing? A terrible Wookie holiday thing! PAULA COHEN: Well, isn’t that a bit like Werther’s Originals, too, then? One of those little things we thought was gone forever? SAM YAO: It’s just – no, look. Forget the name for now. If this As Yet Unnamed Holiday has a singing contest and a cooking contest, we’re going to need some prizes. We’re already using the food and items the runners bring back. What’s left? PAULA COHEN: Surely something is piled up in the supply shed. SAM YAO: Janine was saying she’s got loads of old pill bottles now. Think we could make some trophies from them? PAULA COHEN: You and me, Yao? We can do anything. SAM YAO: And we can make medals out of spent bullet casings! Oh, and oh man, yeah - I bet I could get Janine to give us the award for the ultimate winner. I’m thinking – wait for it – toilet paper! PAULA COHEN: Oh, you are brilliant! She still has some around? SAM YAO: She uses it to bargain with tricky settlements. PAULA COHEN: Alright. Now, Five, we’ll just check in the back, but I don’t think there’s much here. opens, zombies growl The room is full of crawlers! How did they all get trapped in here? Five, toss me that frying pan! clanks, zombies splatter SAM YAO: That was close! PAULA COHEN: Well, I got a frying pan. And Five is still carrying a very fancy-looking saute pan with a - SAM YAO: With a copper bottom! Oh, bless you, Five. I have no idea why the copper bottom is good, but I’ve always wanted one. PAULA COHEN: And now we have your Life Day present! SAM YAO: Yeah, really don’t call it that! Just start for home, now. SAM YAO: Hmm. You’re losing the daylight, and there’s movement to the south. That’s worrisome. PAULA COHEN: Do you think we have enough? SAM YAO: Oh yeah, no problem. Although, I was thinking that someone should be crowned as King or Queen of the Generic Celebration Day. And they could drink grog out of a zombie skull! PAULA COHEN: That’s disturbing. And also quite unsanitary. Infection would be incredibly high. SAM YAO: Homemade grog can kill anything! Oh, no, but I suppose you’re right. Still, it is an impressive image. PAULA COHEN: I think we’ve got all we need, really. It’s not supposed to be the feast to end all feasts. Just a day to remember that there are still a few good little things… in among all the corpses. SAM YAO: And the destruction of civilization. PAULA COHEN: And the lack of adequate washing facilities. SAM YAO: sighs You know, I suppose you’re right. That was always the problem with Christmas or Passover or even birthdays. They’re supposed to be so big. Just one day, and you go all out on it, and then well, what do you have the next day? PAULA COHEN: A lot of matzo and constipation, if I remember right. SAM YAO: Yeah. One thing you have to say for the zombie apocalypse - it really makes you appreciate the little things. PAULA COHEN: So we’re calling it Little Things Day? SAM YAO: Yeah! A celebration of low expectations and just enjoying what you’ve got. laughs You know, I never really liked Werther’s Originals that much. PAULA COHEN: Me either. Too sickly. But when we found them, it really felt like something. SAM YAO: If you can’t be with the sweets you love, love the sweets you’re with. Yeah. Come on home now, runners. Don’t want to miss Little Things Day.Category:Mission Category:Season Four